A Video Supplement for
Come, Follow Me Lesson 42:
“Be Thou an Example of the Believers”
Transcript
In 2 Timothy 3:15-17, Paul comments on the role the scriptures have played in Timothy’s life and can play in ours as well. He says, beginning with verse 15
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
The first interesting comment of Paul’s as I see it, is that Timothy has known the scriptures from his youth and they are capable of making him wise unto salvation. Surely the scriptures can do this for us in our day also, but if we want to understand closely what Paul meant, we first have to understand which scriptures he was talking about. The scriptures in Paul’s day, referred primarily to the Old Testament, as Wayment points out in his footnotes, this can also refer to other extant sacred writings, for example, in verse 8 of this same chapter, Paul references an encounter between Jannes and Jambres and Moses that is not found in our current Old Testament, but is alluded to in Pseudopigraphic and Apocryphal texts. So, at the very least, we should take away from this passage the profound respect that Paul had for the writings of the Hebrew Bible, and the fact that these were what Paul considered could make Timothy wise unto salvation, when read in light of faith in Christ.
Paul also notes that the scriptures are inspired, good for teaching truth, scolding things that need to be scolded (reproof means to express disapproval), correcting errors, and teaching righteousness. The perfect in the last verse, “That the man of God may be perfect,” should be understood in the sense of complete. “That the person of God should be complete,” as Wayment has it. The word perfect has baggage in our culture that the word Paul was using didn’t have and its important to realize that. The key takeaway though, is that the scriptures help us to be complete and ready to serve the Lord in whatever way he might want.
I really feel being brought up in church helped stabilize my life linded up with the Word of God, but I also believe that works when you really take the Word of God serious doing your early years. God visited me early in my life and protected me from being raped by my father, and having such a powerful, profound encounting from God, l felt and still feel. I can do most anything. Until I was confronted with hatred from everyone I came in contact with. I stopped witnessing to others.But I never lost my faith in his love for me. I kept trying to get my education, raised my children, not that they hold my faith, I believe we would’ve all been better off if they had trusted God as l do. But hate was bigger than my desire to fight through classes and it seem to be to much for them also hostility kills dreams and stranges love. l did survived being a sex mop for people, “but boy didn’t the women hate me.” Anyway my point is people being against you, “you might survive becoming man’s sex mop rag, or you might not proper, but l will never stop trying, and hoping that one of these days l might meet a real man to love and build a life until Christ call me home, by knowing him in my youth My foundation with Christ is strong, and why I can’t take my hand out of His hands. His love for me is all I need until Christ returns for me. Amen
2 Timothy 3:15 had indicated a very good point for believers to understand the word of God and to know about Him from childhood.
I believe knowing God from childhood will give us the strength to fight the good fight of faith without wavering.
Great job, Hales! This helps me very much!
indeed i enjoy this teaching it has help me alot